Bacterial cellulose-based hydrogels are considered to have potential applications in wastewater treatment owing to their loose porous and environmental friendliness. In this research

we utillize the graphene oxide and the attapulgite to enhance the adsorption performance of bacterial cellulose/polyvinyl alcohol composite hydrogel

and have tested it with the dye congo red (CR) as an example. The FTIR

XRD

SEM

BET and TG-DSC analysis results indicate that after the enhanced hydrogel has better hydrophilicity

larger specific surface area and good thermal stability. In the adsorption tests

we find the adsorption exhibited a pseudo-first-order kinetics and Freundich isothermal. The enhanced hydrogel has a better swelling property and thus higher adsorption capacity

especially under acidic conditions. In addition

the prepared hydrogels show reusability for the efficient removal of CR. Consequently

our hydrogels are expected to be used as adsorbents in acid dye wastewater treatment.